


You'll Know it When You See it

by McKayRulez



Series: Bi11y [6]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Age Difference, BAMF Billy Hargrove, Billy Hargrove & Eleven | Jane Hopper Friendship, Billy Hargrove Lives, Billy Hargrove Redemption, Billy is Alive, Bullying, Crushes, Eleven | Jane Hopper & Maxine "Max" Mayfield Friendship, Eleven | Jane Hopper Stays in Hawkins, Eleven | Jane Hopper Without Powers, F/M, First Day of School, High School, Minor Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Post-Season/Series 03, Protective Billy Hargrove
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 19:01:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19951246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McKayRulez/pseuds/McKayRulez
Summary: Eleven's first day of high school.





	You'll Know it When You See it

“Are you sure your alright?” Mike hovered over Eleven as she shouldered her backpack. 

“I’m fine.” 

“It’s totally okay to be nervous.” He added warily. 

“Mike-” She looked at him exasperated as he interrupted her as he continued on babbling before she could speak. 

“The first day of highschool can be scary for anyone.” 

“I’m fine.” She repeated.

He shook his head as he waved his hands, not listening. “I mean.. It’s my first day to and-

Max cut between them, placing her hands on El’s shoulders and lowering her head to Mike, looking him straight in the eye. “She said she’s fine. Leave her alone, dingus.” 

Mike and Max eyed each other and El asked, “Are you fine?” 

“Fine?.. Right.. Right..” He tried and failed to look nonchalant. “I’m cool. Totally cool.” 

Max rolled her eyes then spotted Lucas and Dustin at the bike rack. “Hey!” She left the two and went to Lucas. 

“Mike!” Dustin called out. “Look what I got!” He raised a can of something out of his backpack. 

“What is it?” Mike yelled back. 

“Hairspray from Steve. He got us all bottles for our first day!” Dustin grinned. 

“We’re gonna style ourselves before class.” Lucas jutted a thumb in the direction of the boys bathroom. “Come on.” 

Mike walked forward, then stopped and looked back at El. 

“She’s not made of glass, stalker! You can leave her alone for five minutes.” Max shouted at him, then tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Well actually, with you trying to fix that hairdo, maybe an hour.” She teased. 

Mike gave El an uneasy look. “See ya later?” 

She glanced at the ground and answered reluctantly. “Yeah..” 

He nodded and joined the gang. She looked back up and watched him go. She gave a relieved sigh. Mike had been following her around nonstop since she came back from living with the Byers family, and to be honest, it was driving her crazy. He was constantly worrying and fussing over her. She shook her head, clearing the thoughts of him away and continued on in confident stride towards the doors. However, before she made it, a group of boys who had been sitting on beside the entrance got up and stalked towards her. 

“Well, well, well.. Look who it is.” Troy sneered. “Psycho girl.” 

One of his buddies looked up at him warily. “You sure we should be doing this?” James whispered. 

He raised a hand abruptly to his friend. Shut up!” He hissed with a side glare, then turned his attention back to Eleven as he put his hands in his pockets and stalked closer, until he was face to face with her. “There’s nothing to be scared of now is there?” 

“Mouth breather.” Eleven spat and tried to shove past his shoulder, but he stood firm. 

“We.. We really shouldn’t test this.” James added, voice filled with fear. 

“Quit being a pussy, James.” Troy wrinkled his nose in a glare, as he circled her. “Besides.. rumor is this freak is powerless.” He grinned sinisterly. “She’s just like the rest of us.” She glared and Troy shoved her to the ground, which nearly gave James a heart attack. She pushed herself up, but the boy quickly put his foot on her chest and shoved her back down. Troy stared at her as he towered over her. “And she doesn’t have her cop daddy to protect her and let her get away with everything anymore.” She froze as a wave of depression hit her chest, while his eyes narrowed, as he balled a fist. “This is for breaking my arm, bitch.” 

Just as he raised his foot to bring it crushing down again harder, someone grabbed him by his jacket collar and yanked him back hard. “Hey! Who the f-” His voice caught in his throat, as he stared wide eyed at the face of Billy who was peering down at him. “B-Billy?” 

Billy let go of Troy making him lose balance and landed on the asphalt on his back. He then gave him a silent intimidating stare, before turning away from the kid and lent a hand to El for her to take to help her up. 

“Thanks.” 

“Is this cow bothering you El?” 

Eleven dusted off her backpack, and looked down distastefully at the boys. “Yes.” 

Troy lifted his hands up defensively, as James went to his side, trying to help pull him up in a rush. “I.. I didn’t know she was with you, Billy.” 

Billy turned and gave them a death glare. “Never.” He took a step toward them and raised a finger at them. “Ever. Hit a woman. You hear me, Troy.” 

The freshmen gripped each other, as they backed away from the imposing senior. “Y-yes. Sir.” 

“If I catch the two of you bullying anyone else, I’ll personally kick the shit out of you and then run you over in my car, until you're unrecognizable roadkill. Got it?” 

“Y-yes, Billy.” 

The bell rang for first period and James smacked Troys arm gently, nudging him to run to class with him and away from the scary couple. 

Billy turned and looked back at Eleven. He looked her over. “You okay?” 

She flushed, embarrassed. She was so unused to fighting without her powers. She should have done something, but.. Them bringing up Hopper was.. Hard for her. She looked down. “No…” 

Billy frowned sympathetic. He placed an arm around her shoulder, prepared to protect her on her way to her first class, and started walking with her into the crowd of students finding their rooms. “Well, now that you’ve seen the worst part of school. I’ll just have to show you the best.” 

“And what’s the best part?” 

“Oh..” He gave a slant smile, side gazing at her. “You’ll know it when you see it.” 

He grinned, as he led her to her door and stood next to it, as she entered hesitantly, looking back at him. 

“Welcome to your first day of school, El.” 

El watched him smiling at her, leaning against the door, looking styled and cool. But what really got her was how he was looking at her. Actually at her and not through her or to some fantasized version of her, like Mike. 

\-- 

Later, during lunch, the group sat at the bleachers eating, and watching Billy and the Hawkins basketball team practice. 

El stared at Billy as he played. He was shirtless and sweaty, as he swiped the ball from another player’s dribble. She felt her cheeks grow hot. After a moment of hearing the group chatter pause, El spoke up. “How is Billy doing?” 

Max, who was sitting against Lucas with his arm draped around her due to reuniting after the fifteenth breakup, looked up from her sandwich and looked to her brother. “It’s.. Hard to tell with him..” 

El gave her a confused look. 

“I mean all the stuff with the Mind Flayer has been pretty hard on him, but he hides it in public.” 

“He sure hides it well then.” Lucas added, as he watched Billy shove a player to the ground, who hadn’t had the proper footwork to stop him. 

“And well.. Let’s just say Billy wasn’t all that emotionally stable to begin with.” 

Lucas snorted. “That’s an understatement.” Max smacked his arm. “Ow!” He rubbed it hurt. 

“As I was saying.” Max emphasized. “He’s been nicer to me and most people that I’ve seen.. But I can’t tell if he’s doing better, or it’s just an act around me to make me not worried.” 

The group was quiet as they thought about all that had happened that Summer, until El broke the silence. 

“I think he looks good.” 

Mike frowned and raised an eyebrow. He didn’t like the way she was looking at him. “Good?” 

She sighed wistfully, as her eyes followed Billy. 

“Real good.”


End file.
